Adaptive Clicker Technique

ABSTRACT

An adaptive clicker technique is described that provides a standardized polling control and a registration system to support mixed types of clickers and integrate the polling data. One embodiment of the adaptive clicker technique operates as follows. User inputs from more than one type of clicker device (e.g., personal interactive response system device) are received. The inputs from the more than one type of clicker device are formatted with a clicker adapter for each type of clicker to adapt user inputs to a common polling controller. The adapted inputs are then processed with the common polling controller to interface the adapted inputs with a personal response system software application to allow user polling data to be collected and assessed.

BACKGROUND

Interaction in the classroom increases attention and enhances learning.Many modern classrooms now employ polling to increase studentparticipation and interest. Polling can also be designed to collectinstant feedback from students, so a teacher can adapt the teachingpace.

Most classroom polling systems have students use personal responsesystem “clickers” to respond to poll questions. A personal responsesystem is one which allows instructors to pose questions to studentswhich students can answer by entering a response into their clickerdevice.

There are many types of clicker devices employed in personal responsesystems to date. For example, hardware clicker devices exist whichtypically have a keyboard with or without a Liquid Crystal Display(LCD). These hardware clicker devices also have a receiver which istypically either an infrared (IR) receiver or a radio frequency (RF)receiver. Infrared receivers typically operate via line of sight andhave a more limited range than RF receivers. Infrared receivers are notportable, and typically have to be installed in a class room. RFreceivers are more popular and can support a larger number of clickersthan can an IR receiver.

Besides hardware clicker devices, virtual clicker devices also exist.Virtual clickers are created by installing clicker software on a laptopcomputer or other computing device which lets the device act as aclicker device. For example, most virtual clickers employ a web-basedpoll response keypad that is downloadable from a web or other site.Virtual clickers do not need a receiver because typically a web serviceis used to send a response to a poll question over the Internet. Withthe revolution of mobile technology and the increasing penetration oflaptops and mobile phones among students, it has become popular to usemobile devices as virtual clickers for polling in schools.

SUMMARY

This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in asimplified form that are further described below in the DetailedDescription. This Summary is not intended to identify key features oressential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended tobe used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

In general, the adaptive clicker technique described herein provides astandardized polling control and registration system to support mixedtypes of clickers and integrate polling data. The adaptive clickertechnique employs a polling controller. The polling controller allowsmultiple different types of clickers to be used by a software pollingapplication without having to write hardware specific software for eachtype of clicker device. The polling controller also provides programinterfaces for applications (e.g., application programming interfaces orAPIs) to communicate with each other using polling data and canintegrate the polling data with a Learning Management System or Serviceif so desired.

More specifically, one general embodiment of the adaptive clickertechnique operates as follows. User inputs from more than one type ofclicker device (e.g., personal interactive response system device) areobtained or received, for example, in response to polling. The inputsfrom the more than one type of clicker device are formatted with aclicker adapter for each type of clicker device to adapt the user inputsto a common polling controller. The adapted inputs are then processedwith the common polling controller to interface the adapted inputs witha personal response system software application to allow user pollingdata to be collected.

In the following description of embodiments of the disclosure, referenceis made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and inwhich are shown, by way of illustration, specific embodiments in whichthe technique may be practiced. It is understood that other embodimentsmay be utilized and structural changes may be made without departingfrom the scope of the disclosure.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The specific features, aspects, and advantages of the disclosure willbecome better understood with regard to the following description,appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:

FIG. 1 is an overview of one embodiment of a system for employing anadaptive clicker technique described herein.

FIG. 2 is an exemplary architecture in which one embodiment of theadaptive clicker technique can be practiced.

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram depicting a generalized exemplary embodiment ofa process employing the adaptive clicker technique.

FIG. 4 is another flow diagram depicting another exemplary embodiment ofa process employing the adaptive clicker technique.

FIG. 5 is a diagram depicting Application Programming Interfaces (APIs)employed in one embodiment that employs an adaptive clicker technique.

FIG. 6 is a diagram depicting an interface between a polling controllerand a poll data database employed in one embodiment that employs anadaptive clicker technique.

FIG. 7 is a schematic of an exemplary computing device which can be usedto practice the adaptive clicker technique.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description of the adaptive clicker technique,reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a partthereof, and which is shown by way of illustration examples by which theadaptive clicker technique may be practiced. It is to be understood thatother embodiments may be utilized and structural changes may be madewithout departing from the scope of the claimed subject matter.

1.0 Adaptive Clicker Technique

Although there are many types of clicker devices used for pollingcurrently there is no standardized polling service which can supportdisparate types of clickers at the same time. Current polling servicescurrently can support only one type of clicker device.

Additionally, most current polling services and systems requireregistration for a clicker device to be used with the system. Whenstudents are registered with a system, a teacher can assign credit forparticipation and use the data in other manners. To date, differentclickers have totally different registration systems and no systems cansupport mixed clicker types.

The adaptive clicker technique provides a standardized polling controland registration system to support mixed types of clickers. The adaptiveclicker technique employs a polling controller. The polling controllerallows multiple different types of clickers to be used by a softwareapplication that employs polling without having to write hardwarespecific software for each type of clicker device. The pollingcontroller also provides program interfaces for applications tocommunicate with polling data and can integrate the polling data with aLearning Management Service or System (LMS) if so desired. For example,the typical LMS is used for delivering, tracking and managing training.Learning management systems can manage training records and distributecourses over a network, such as, for example, the Internet. The pollingcontroller can also provide program interfaces for managing attendance,class participant and assessment.

Although much of the following description presents the applicability ofthe adaptive clicker technique with respect to an education system, itshould be noted that the technique is not limited to only theeducational realm. For example, the technique could equally well beapplied to an enterprise space.

The adaptive clicker technique provides a multi-device adapter model fortalking to disparate clickers. In one embodiment of the technique, thisadapter model 1) gets the readiness of clicker receiver; 2) gets thename of the clicker receiver; 3) gets the properties of the poll data;4) initiates poll start/end messages and 5) updates poll data.

The adaptive clicker technique also provides easy to use APIs for addingpolling to applications. In one embodiment these APIs include 1) setsession name; 2) start polling; 3) end polling; 4) get poll data; and 5)set/update poll data.

The adaptive clicker technique also can employ a device registrationinterface (for example, a user interface with a device registrationpage) that allows clicker devices to be registered and providesfunctionality to interface with a Learning Management System if desired.This device registration interface: 1) submits poll data to a LMS; 2)gets class ID; 3) get student name; 4) get device ID and 5) get LMS ID,as well as providing other functionality.

An exemplary schematic of overview of one embodiment of the adaptiveclicker technique is shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 1, one embodimentof the technique employs a personal response system software application102 that can be used for polling users using clicker devices orclickers, commonly termed personal interactive response devices. Theclicker devices are used to respond to poll questions issued by thesoftware application 102. These clickers can come in many types such asvirtual clickers on laptop computers 104 or other mobile devices 106.Traditional RF or IR clickers 108 or a cell phone 110 can also beemployed as clicker devices. Each of these types of clickers have sometype of receiver 114, 116 or service 112 that allows these types ofclickers to communicate with a computing device 700 (to be discussedlater with respect to FIG. 7) which hosts the software application 102that issues the polling.

In the one embodiment of the adaptive clicker technique described hereinthe inputs received from the clicker devices 104, 106, 108, 110, asreceived from the receivers 114, 116 or service 112 can interface withdevice drivers 118, 120 that would typically be provided with that typeof device to interface the device to a computing device 700. The inputsfrom the clicker devices, are input into clicker adapters 122, 124, 126,one for each type of clicker device. The clicker device adapters 122,124, 126 from the clicker input to interface with a common pollingcontroller 128 that controls the polling and formats the receivedclicker inputs to be compatible with the software application 102. Thetechnique also includes a registry 130 which includes a list of all ofthe clicker devices registered with the system along with clicker ID andoptionally user ID. The poll data is stored in a poll data database 132and can also be sent to a LMS if so desired.

1.1 Exemplary Adaptive Clicker Architecture

The following paragraphs describe an exemplary architecture 200 in whichthe adaptive clicker technique can be practiced. As shown in FIG. 2, thearchitecture 200 employs a personal response system software applicationmodule 202 that includes a module to create a poll 204 that is used by ateacher or other poll administrator to start and stop a poll which isresponded to by users' clicker devices 216, 218, 222. The softwareapplication 202 also includes a device registration page 208 where users230, 232, 234 register their clicker devices. Such registry information206 can include, for example, a student's class ID, name, clicker remoteID, if the software application interfaces with a greater learningmanagement system, a learning management system ID. Additionally, if thesoftware application 202 interfaces with a learning management system210, the software application 202 or a polling controller 214 can submitthe poll results 212 to the learning management system.

The software application 202 starts and ends a poll by sending start andend poll messages through a polling controller 214 and to the clickerdevices 216, 218, 222 via their receivers 220, 224 or web service 226,and applicable device drivers. Users 230, 232, 234 respond to the pollquestions via their respective clicker devices 216, 218, 222. Theclicker device responses are input into a set of respective clickeradapters, 232, 234, 236 which convert the clicker device inputs from thedifferent types of clickers into a common format compatible with thepolling controller 214. It should be noted that there can also be morethan one type of clicker device for a given clicker hardware device,such as, for example and IR clicker or RF clicker. The types of clickerswould also have their own adapter type. The polling controller 204reformats the outputs from the adapters 232, 234 and 236 to be in aformat usable by the software application 202 and stores the data in thepoll result database 212. This poll result data can also be madeaccessible to the learning management system via interface 210.

1.2 Exemplary Processes for Employing the Adaptive Clicker Technique

One general embodiment 300 of a process for employing the adaptiveclicker technique is shown in FIG. 3. This embodiment 300 operates asfollows. User inputs from more than one type of clicker device (e.g.,personal interactive response system device) are obtained, as shown inblock 302. The inputs from the more than one type of clicker device areformatted with a clicker adapter for each type of clicker to adapt theuser inputs to a common polling controller, as shown in block 304. Theadapted inputs are then processed with the common polling controller tointerface the adapted inputs with a personal response system softwareapplication to allow user polling data to be collected, as shown inblock 306.

Another exemplary embodiment 400 of a process for employing the adaptiveclicker technique is shown in FIG. 4. In this embodiment of thetechnique, one or more clickers of different types are registered in aregistry, each clicker being associated with a different clicker ID anduser ID, as shown in block 402. A poll is started from a personalresponse system software application, as shown in block 404. A pollinput is received from a clicker device, as shown in block 406. Thispoll input is associated with a clicker device ID and a user ID. Thepoll input from the clicker is formatted with a clicker adapterassociated with the type of clicker to interface the poll input with acommon polling controller, as shown in block 408. The polling controlleris used to format the adapted poll input to be assessed by the personalresponse system software application, as shown in block 410. The clickerID can be used to identify the clicker user by using the registry. Thepoll is then stopped by the personal response software application, asshown in block 412. At this point the poll results can be assessedand/or forwarded to a learning management system for assessment, asshown in block 414. For either assessment by the LMS or by the softwareapplication, the poll results can be associated by student or user ID.Additionally, the poll data format or one embodiment is also described.

1.4 Details and Alternate Embodiments

An exemplary architecture and exemplary processes of the techniquehaving been described the following paragraphs describe details andvarious embodiments of the technique. The application programminginterfaces (APIs) of one exemplary embodiment of the adaptive clickertechnique are described in greater detail, as is the format of thepolling data.

1.4.1 Application Programming Interfaces that Interface with the PollingController

The adaptive clicker technique provides various APIs to support thepolling controller and clicker adapters. In one embodiment of thetechnique the adaptive clicker technique provides both polling APIs 502and polling driver APIs 504 that interface with the polling controller506.

The polling APIs 504 that interface between the software application 508and the polling controller 506 include:

-   -   1) Set Session Name: The Set Session Name 510 API sets the        session name for the poll in question.    -   2) Set Polling Data: The Set Polling Data API 512 writes or        updates the poll data.    -   3) Start Polling: The Start Polling API 514 starts the polling.        When the polling is started the clicker controller and software        application are ready to receive polling inputs.    -   4) Get Poll Data: The Get Poll Data API 516 retrieves the poll        data.    -   5) End Polling: The End Polling API 518 ends the polling for a        given session. When the polling is ended the clicker controller        and software application stop receiving polling inputs.

The polling driver APIs 504 that interface between the clicker adapters520, 522, 524 and the polling controller 506 include:

-   -   1) Get the Readiness of Clicker Receiver: The Get the Readiness        of Clicker Receiver API 526 gets the readiness of a clicker        receiver.    -   2) Get Name of the Clicker Receiver: The Get Name of the Clicker        Receiver API 528 gets the name of the clicker receiver.    -   3) Get Poll Data Properties: The Get Poll Data Properties API        530 gets the poll data properties of the polling event.    -   4) Polling Start: The Polling Start API 532 tells the clicker        adapters 520, 522 and 524 that polling has started.    -   5) Update Polling Data: The Update Polling Data API 534 updates        poll data, such as, for example, when new poll responses are        received or an update to an existing poll response is received.    -   6) Polling End: The Polling End API 536 ends the polling for a        given session. When the polling is ended the clicker controller        and software application stop accepting polling inputs.

1.4.2 Poll Data Format

The adaptive clicker technique provides the poll data in a standardformat via the polling controller. This format for one embodiment of theadaptive clicker technique is shown in FIG. 6. The polling controller602 provides various APIs to the poll data database. These can include,for example, the “create poll data” 606, “update poll data” 608, “deletepoll data” 610 and “get poll data” 612 APIs. An exemplary table of polldata stored in the poll data database 614 is also shown in FIG. 6. Thetable includes the question ID 614, and device ID 616 and an associatedresponse 618. Optionally a student ID could be added to this table orthe student ID could be obtained from the registry by cross-correlatingthe student ID with the clicker ID.

1.4.3 Device Registration Page

In one embodiment the adaptive clicker technique provides a clickerdevice registration page. For example, in one embodiment, the deviceregistration page is used to collect and act on information related to aLMS. Such information could include, for example, means to 1) submitpoll data to LMS; 2) get class ID; 3) get student ID; 4) get studentname; 5) get device ID; and 6) get LMS ID.

2.0 The Computing Environment

The adaptive clicker technique is designed to operate in a computingenvironment. The following description is intended to provide a brief,general description of a suitable computing environment in which theadaptive clicker technique can be implemented. The technique isoperational with numerous general purpose or special purpose computingsystem environments or configurations. Examples of well known computingsystems, environments, and/or configurations that may be suitableinclude, but are not limited to, personal computers, server computers,hand-held or laptop devices (for example, media players, notebookcomputers, cellular phones, personal data assistants, voice recorders),multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based systems, set top boxes,programmable consumer electronics, network PCs, minicomputers, mainframecomputers, distributed computing environments that include any of theabove systems or devices, and the like.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example of a suitable computing systemenvironment. The computing system environment is only one example of asuitable computing environment and is not intended to suggest anylimitation as to the scope of use or functionality of the presenttechnique. Neither should the computing environment be interpreted ashaving any dependency or requirement relating to any one or combinationof components illustrated in the exemplary operating environment. Withreference to FIG. 7, an exemplary system for implementing the adaptiveclicker technique includes a computing device, such as computing device700. In its most basic configuration, computing device 700 typicallyincludes at least one processing unit 702 and memory 704. The computingdevice 700 also has a graphics processing unit 720 to aid inaccelerating graphics rendering, among other functions. Depending on theexact configuration and type of computing device, memory 704 may bevolatile (such as RAM), non-volatile (such as ROM, flash memory, etc.)or some combination of the two. This most basic configuration isillustrated in FIG. 7 by dashed line 706. Additionally, device 700 mayalso have additional features/functionality. For example, device 700 mayalso include additional storage (removable and/or non-removable)including, but not limited to, magnetic or optical disks or tape. Suchadditional storage is illustrated in FIG. 7 by removable storage 708 andnon-removable storage 710. Computer storage media includes volatile andnonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any methodor technology for storage of information such as computer readableinstructions, data structures, program modules or other data. Memory704, removable storage 708 and non-removable storage 710 are allexamples of computer storage media. Computer storage media includes, butis not limited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memorytechnology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other opticalstorage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage orother magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used tostore the desired information and which can accessed by device 700. Anysuch computer storage media may be part of device 700.

Device 700 has a display 718, and may also contain communicationsconnection(s) 712 that allow the device to communicate with otherdevices. Communications connection(s) 712 is an example of communicationmedia. Communication media typically embodies computer readableinstructions, data structures, program modules or other data in amodulated data signal such as a carrier wave or other transportmechanism and includes any information delivery media. The term“modulated data signal” means a signal that has one or more of itscharacteristics set or changed in such a manner as to encode informationin the signal, thereby changing the configuration or state of thereceiving device of the signal. By way of example, and not limitation,communication media includes wired media such as a wired network ordirect-wired connection, and wireless media such as acoustic, RF,infrared and other wireless media. The term computer readable media asused herein includes both storage media and communication media.

Device 700 may have various input device(s) 714 such as a keyboard,mouse, pen, camera, touch input device, and so on. Output device(s) 716such as speakers, a printer, and so on may also be included. All ofthese devices are well known in the art and need not be discussed atlength here.

The adaptive clicker technique may be described in the general contextof computer-executable instructions, such as program modules, beingexecuted by a computing device. Generally, program modules includeroutines, programs, objects, components, data structures, and so on,that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract datatypes. The adaptive clicker technique may be practiced in distributedcomputing environments where tasks are performed by remote processingdevices that are linked through a communications network. In adistributed computing environment, program modules may be located inboth local and remote computer storage media including memory storagedevices.

3.0 Other Embodiments

It should also be noted that any or all of the aforementioned alternateembodiments described herein may be used in any combination desired toform additional hybrid embodiments. Although the subject matter has beendescribed in language specific to structural features and/ormethodological acts, it is to be understood that the subject matterdefined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to thespecific features or acts described above. The specific features andacts described above are disclosed as example forms of implementing theclaims.

1. A computer-implemented process for allowing different types ofclicker devices to be used in a personal response system, comprising:receiving inputs from more than one type of clicker device; formattingthe inputs from the more than one type of clicker device with at leastone clicker adapter for the type of clicker device to adapt the inputsfrom the more than one type of clicker device to a common single pollingcontroller; processing the adapted inputs from the clicker adapters withthe polling controller to interface the adapted inputs with a personalresponse system software application to allow user polling data to beobtained, wherein the receiving, formatting and processing are performedby at least one processor.
 2. The computer-implemented process of claim1 wherein one type of clicker device is a virtual clicker devicecomprising a computing device and a software application that lets thecomputing device act as a clicker device.
 3. The computer-implementedprocess of claim 1, wherein one type of clicker device is a radiofrequency clicker device.
 4. The computer-implemented process of claim1, wherein one type of clicker device is an infrared clicker device. 5.The computer-implemented process of claim 1, wherein one type of clickerdevice is implemented on a mobile device.
 6. A computer-implementedprocess for allowing disparate types of clicker devices to be used in apersonal response system software application, comprising: registeringone or more clicker devices of different types in a registry, eachclicker device being associated with a different clicker ID and user ID;starting a poll from a personal response system software application;receiving a poll input from a clicker device of the one or more clickerdevices of different types, the poll input being associated with aclicker device ID and a user ID; adapting the poll input from theclicker device with a clicker adapter associated with the type ofclicker device to interface the poll input with a common pollingcontroller; formatting the adapted poll input that is to be assessed bythe personal response system software application using the commonpolling controller; and stopping the poll from the personal responsesystem software application.
 7. The computer-implemented process ofclaim 6, further comprising: assessing the adapted poll input formattedby the polling controller by the personal response system softwareapplication; and associating the assessed poll input with the user ID.8. The computer-implemented process of claim 6, further comprising:inputting the adapted poll input formatted by the polling controller toa learning management system for assessment, class participation orattendance; and associating the adapted poll input to the learningmanagement system with the user ID.
 9. A personal response system,comprising: a computing device including a memory that has a softwareapplication configured to send data and to and receives inputs from aclicker device; a polling controller that is configured to format datareceived from more than one type of clicker adapter to interface withthe software application; at least one clicker adapter that interfaceswith the polling controller, each at least one clicker adapterconfigured to format data for compatibility with one or more clickerdevices.
 10. The system of claim 9, wherein the polling controllerfurther comprises an interface configured to submit poll data to alearning management system.
 11. The system of claim 9, furthercomprising a clicker device registry for registering each clickerdevice.
 12. The system of claim 11, wherein the data entered into theclicker device registry further comprises: class ID; student name;clicker ID; learning management system ID.
 13. The system of claim 9wherein one type of clicker device comprises: a web-based clicker thatinterfaces with a web clicker service that interfaces with a web clickeradapter.
 14. The system of claim 8 wherein one type of clicker devicecomprises a clicker device that is hosted on a mobile phone.
 15. Thesystem of claim 9 further comprising Application Programming Interfaces(APIs) between the polling controller and each clicker adapter, the APIscomprising: an API to get readiness of a clicker receiver: an API to geta name of a clicker receiver; an API to get poll data properties of apolling event; an API to get a polling start; an API to update pollingdata; and an API to signal polling end.
 16. The system of claim 9,further comprising Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) between thesoftware application and the polling controller, the APIs comprising: anAPI to set polling session name; an API to set polling data; an API tostart polling; an API to get poll data; and an API to end polling. 17.The system of claim 9, further comprising an API between the pollingcontroller and a poll data database, the API comprising: an API tocreate poll data; an API to update poll data: an API to delete polldata; and an API to get poll data.
 18. The system of claim 9, whereinthe poll database further comprises: a field for a poll question; andfor each clicker, a device ID, and a response ID.
 19. The system ofclaim 9, wherein the one or more clickers comprise different types ofclickers further comprising: more than one type of virtual clicker; morethan one type of RF clicker; and more than one type of IR clicker. 20.The system of claim 9, wherein both the software application and alearning management system can access poll data.